Landings at Europe’s busiest white-fish port have surged as it benefits from healthier North Sea stocks.
New figures from Peterhead Port Authority show a total of 418,124 boxes going through the market during the first five months of 2018, a 6% year-on-year increase.
Deputy chief executive Stephen Paterson said prices for key species such as haddock had remained strong for months.
Speaking just days after PPA celebrated the opening of a new and bigger fish market, part of a £50 million-plus redevelopment of the north-east harbour, Mr Paterson added: “We are delighted that the move to the larger fish market has come at just the right time.
“There is growing confidence and optimism for the future within the fishing sector. Recent increases in fish quotas for key species have encouraged reinvestment in the fleet.
“Our own £51m port development is targeted to ensure Peterhead continues to offer the most-effective service to the sector.”
The previous Merchants Quay fish market opened in 2001 and sold a total of nearly 16m boxes. Its two biggest single-day sales were on December 19 2017 – when 8,032 boxes came through – and January 5 2018, when a new record of 8,475 boxes was set.
Increased landings meant more space was needed to properly lay out and display fish for sale, and prevent any of the catch having to be held over to the following day.
This year’s bigger figures were boosted by a particularly strong March, when 20,759 tonnes of fish and shellfish worth more than £13m passed through.In the same month last year, 14,772 tonnes of fish and shellfish worth £11.3m arrived on Peterhead quayside.
Bumper landings in early 2018 were driven by bigger catches of white-fish and herring, offsetting declines for mackerel and shellfish, while market prices increased for all categories apart from shellfish.
The latest figures have put the port on course for another record year after new highs were set in both 2016 and 2017.
Peterhead’s new modern fish market can handle about 10,000 boxes of fish every day.
It is expected to reinforce the Blue Toon’s position as Europe’s premier white-fish port, helping the harbour to eventually support more than 9,500 direct and indirect jobs and generate in excess of £800m a year for the Scottish economy.